“The Iron-Master” Arthur Saxon was best know for being a strongman and circus performer and for a bent press of 370 lbs. A bent press is where a weight is brought from shoulder-level to overhead one-handed using the muscles of the back, legs, and arm. Saxon’s fitness equipment of choice was the standard barbell. He also holds the record for the “two hands anyhow” press which involves lifting as much weight as possible using two hands in any manner and not assisted by anyone. Saxon holds the record at 448 lbs. This type of press usually involved the bent press with one hand and then lifting a smaller weight with another hand.

Saxon was born Arthur Henning in 1878 in Germany. When he was 19 years old he was recruited by Arno Patschke to form a “Greatest Strong Show.” Arthur’s two brothers, Kurt and Hermann Hennig joined the group as well and began performing in a circus show in Europe.

Saxon published two books “The Development of Physical Power” in 1905 which explains his weight lifting methods and “The Text Book of Weight-Lifting” published in 1910.

After military service in World War I, Saxon developed tuberculosis and then pneumonia and died at the age of 43.